Akon performs on International Peace Day in DRC in plastic ball: Ebola fear as some media outlets say?

American hip-hop artist, Akon, was one of the performers commemorating International Peace Day in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Sept.21. He was one of several national and international artists performing on the annual United Nations day to promote peace.

However, there has been several media outlets (The Source being mentioned by the Daily Mail) accusing the St. Louis born singer to going to “extreme lengths” to avoid the Ebola virus, in which there is currently an outbreak occurring in the DRC. What caused the criticisms?

The 2014 International Day of Peace was dedicated to commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the adoption, by the General Assembly, of the Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace, which enshrines the principle that establishing peace and security is a pre-requisite for durable progress and for the full exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms.